What Does Aging in Place Really Mean?

When it comes to home design, many savvy homeowners are thinking beyond their current needs and planning homes that will serve them well for decades. Have you heard the term “aging in place” in relation to home remodeling? This idea has become a priority for many Lancaster homeowners as they consider home renovation, and for good reason.

Aging in place is the ability to live comfortably, safely, and independently in your own home regardless of age. It involves modifying and adapting your current home and thoughtfully designing it to support a variety of abilities and needs. Aging in place allows you to remain in your home and community instead of relocating as you age. It’s about creating a home that is flexible and functional enough to support you throughout life’s changes—not just in old age.

Why is Aging in Place Important?

In many homes, accessibility modifications are added after a medical event or disability occurs. This can lead to extra stress and difficulty retrofitting the home to meet the new requirements. By contrast, when homes are remodeled with aging in place as a goal, thoughtful design decisions now ensure that future needs are planned for. The goal is a comfortable, functional, beautiful home, instead of just an accessible one.

Universal design principles can be applied to home remodels to make homes accessible, beautiful, and functional—just what a home should be. What is Universal Design? It’s the idea that homes and other spaces should be designed to be used by as many people—with varying abilities—as possible. Read here for more on Universal Design and why it matters.

Benefits of Aging in Place

• Living comfortably and independently as long as possible
• Staying in your familiar surroundings
• Saving money: remodeling a home is often less expensive than moving to a retirement facility
• Having the security of safety and comfort at home
• Enjoying a well-designed home now and into the future
  
  

Aging in Place Isn’t Just for Seniors

A common misconception is that preparing for aging in place doesn’t apply until the golden years. But actually, homeowners in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are planning ahead, looking forward to staying in the homes they love and remodeling now. It’s all about future-proofing your home, rather than preparing for a certain age or ability level. In fact, accessible remodels are beneficial for:

• Families with young children
• Multigenerational households (which are becoming more and more common in the United States)
• Anyone recovering from surgery or injury
• Homeowners who simply want a more comfortable, easier-to use home

Accessible Design Can Be Beautiful

Many people think that accessible home design results in an institutional or clinical-looking home. But with some thoughtful planning, nothing could be further from the truth! Today’s accessible homes seamlessly blend adaptations into high-end residential design.

Your Lancaster, PA home can be renovated to make it capable of adapting to your changing needs throughout your life. A design-build team will incorporate beautiful and modern features that fit your taste and lifestyle and are flexible enough to support you now and into the future.

Common Aging-In-Place Remodeling Features

• Stylish curbless showers
• Decorative grab bars that double as towel bars
• Lower vanities that can accommodate a wheelchair but are comfortable for people who are standing
• Wider hallways and doorways integrated into open floor plans
• Layered lighting
• Lever door handles that are easier to operate and look high-end
• Pull-out storage, especially in the kitchen
• Flush flooring transitions

Thoughtful Remodeling Creates Long-Term Comfort and Independence

Generally, home remodels that have aging in place as the goal don’t look tremendously different from other home remodels. Creative home renovations that integrate universal design principles tend to be welcoming and warm, inviting and comfortable to all ages and ability levels.

Aging in Place Bathroom Design

• Curbless showers and slip-resistant flooring
• Easy-to-use light switches or automatic smart lighting
• Built-in benches and handheld showerheads
• Grab bars (often disguised as toilet paper and towel holders), or walls prepared for their installation in the future
• Comfort-height toilets

For a great example of an aging-in-place bathroom remodel, check out Luke and Marsha’s bathroom remodel.

Aging in Place Kitchen Design

• Pull-out shelves to make it easier to reach items that are up high
• Deep drawers instead of lower cabinets
• Good lighting for a variety of tasks
• Multiple countertop heights for people who are sitting or standing (great for young kids as well!)
• Easy-to-use, modern hardware

Whole-Home Improvements

• Wider doorways and hallways accommodate walkers and wheelchairs, but also just feel better and have better flow
• Minimal thresholds and nonslip flooring to reduce tripping hazards and falls
• The primary bedroom suite, the kitchen, and the laundry room all on one floor
• Or the addition of a chair lift or elevator to make it easier to reach those spaces if mobility is limited (these can be planned for now and added later if desired)
• Smart home technology that can lock doors, turn off the stove, and alert someone if there’s a problem
• Zero-entry into the house, whether through the front door or garage door

All of these upgrades make your home safer and more comfortable now and into the future if you choose to age in place. They give you the flexibility to do what’s right for you and your loved ones.

6 Aging-In-Place Features You Should Definitely Include In Your Next Remodel

1. A curbless shower: trendy and timeless, functional and comfortable.
2. Wider doorways and hallways: easier to navigate, and they feel expansive and luxurious.
3. Deep drawers in the kitchen: easier to organize and to lift items out of. You’ll never go back to lower cabinets!
4. Nonslip flooring throughout the home: safer for kids and adults, now and into the future.
5. Comfort-height toilets: more comfortable for everyone and easier for people with limited mobility to use.
6. Smart and layered lighting: easier to use and much more pleasant, layered lights allow you to tailor your lighting to the task at hand. And when they’re smart, they’re even more convenient.

The Value of Planning Ahead

It’s tempting to put off a home renovation—especially one that is focused on aging in place—until you really need it. But doing it before it becomes necessary means that you get to go at your own pace, being proactive instead of reactive.

If you proactively plan and work with a good designer and contractor:

• You will have more design choices and help in choosing timeless and stylish finishes.
• It will be easier for you to incorporate features into a planned renovation instead of retrofitting it later (for example, it’s much simpler and more cost-effective to add a curbless shower to a whole bathroom renovation than to try to create one later in an existing bathroom when mobility challenges arise).
• You’ll create a cohesive design instead of having a choppy, piecemeal home with updates happening on the fly.
• You can make decisions now when things are calm rather than in potentially stressful situations in the future, when it becomes necessary to make big changes.

A design-build team will be able to help you plan and execute the perfect home remodel for your Lancaster home, making it possible to age in place in the space you love. They will talk to you about your goals, plans, needs, and taste, and then creatively renovate your home to perfectly support you now and into the future.

And they’ll be able to integrate universal design principles without compromising on beauty and aesthetics. You’ll love the result. Aging in place is all about creating a home that allows flexibility and supports your life now and as your needs change in the future. With thoughtful planning and expert design guidance, you can enjoy a home that is beautiful, comfortable, and designed for long-term independence. Ready to get started? Contact us today and let’s discuss how aging-in-place principles can be incorporated into your home remodel.